Cheryl Maddocks

In the air... pollen-heavy plants such as birch can cause allergic reactions.

It's hard to believe, but some people dread spending time in their beautiful spring and summer gardens. That's because proximity to certain plants makes them sneeze uncontrollably. Their noses run and their eyes weep; they may even wheeze. Allergies are a widespread problem, with symptoms ranging from irritating hay fever to debilitating asthma.

The Asthma Foundation NSW says more than 2 million Australians suffer from the disease. Fortunately, asthma and allergy sufferers don't have to tear out all their flowers or replace lawns with concrete. Sufferers can live in harmony with many plants. A wide range of plants that don't cause the sniffles are listed on the Asthma Foundation NSW's website, asthmansw.org.au. Nurseries can help by identifying problem plants in the garden, which can be removed and replaced.

Allergies affect individuals differently, so don't buy too many of the same plants until you have road-tested them to be sure they won't affect you. As a rough guide, most brightly coloured flowers are pollinated by birds or insects, so their pollen doesn't drift about to trigger allergic reactions. Many native plants are also suitable. Always garden in the early morning and avoid hot and windy days.

If you like green lawns, use low-pollen-producing grasses such as ''Buffalo''. Always mow grass before it goes to seed or, better still, pay someone to mow it while you stay indoors.

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Weeds can cause trouble, so keep the garden weed-free. Plantain (Plantago) is among the worst, because it flowers for months. You can use herbicides on it, but the long tap root must be removed to dig it out effectively.

Pellitory (Parietaria judaica) is known as asthma weed. This Mediterranean native induces allergic reactions through pollen produced most of the year. Some people are also allergic to its slightly sticky leaves.

Asthma weed is extremely difficult to remove from the garden, as it breaks off and leaves roots in the ground that reshoot. It is best controlled with herbicide. If weeding by hand, always wear gloves and a mask. Bag any removed plants and put them in the garbage, rather than throw them on the compost heap.

Organic mulches sometimes harbour mould spores that affect some people, so use inorganic mulches such as pebble and gravel to control weeds. Compost heaps may also contain mould spores.

It's not just garden plants that cause reactions. Pollen carried on the wind from many deciduous trees, for example, is a sure bet to make allergic noses run. While oak, liquidambar, maple, ash, hazel, elm, willow, birch, plane trees and mulberries can all trigger hay fever, many people aren't aware of it because the pollen-producing flowers often go unnoticed. Allergy sufferers should also avoid cypress, olive, white cedar (Melia azedarach) and privet.

It's time to:

Make a Christmas wreath. Pliable branches of camellias work well for the front door or dinner table.